Li Xun hurriedly said, “Absolutely not!”

His face was filled with worry. “Even though the tragedy at Ma Family Ridge was caused by that dog traitor Dou Jianliang, our Liang camp also suffered deeply from it. Yet the Wei clan has not sent any reply to our Liang camp thus far, clearly harboring resentment toward us. Whether we can restore good relations is still uncertain. For Your Highness to personally go to the northern border at this time is far too dangerous!”

The other advisors also said, “Lord Li speaks reasonably. The journey to the northern border is long and distant. Pei Song has stationed tens of thousands of troops at both the southern and northern borders. If he catches wind of this, Your Highness would be trapped in ten thousand dangers!”

But Wen Yu’s mind was already made up. She said, “The lords have also said that Wei Qishan has not replied thus far because he harbors resentment toward our Liang camp. He is now beset by enemies on both sides, facing difficult times. If we wish to reconcile our past grievances and continue diplomatic relations with him, this is the best opportunity.”

Two moths fluttered their wings, circling near the candlestick. Her calm eyes reflected the flickering candlelight. “Since our defeat at Jinzhou, the soldiers below have all been holding back their frustration, urgently needing a victorious battle to release that pent-up anger. The common people throughout the realm also need a victorious battle to restore their confidence in Great Liang.”

With these words, the assembled ministers were momentarily speechless.

Before news from Southern Chen reached Liang territory, the entire Liang camp from top to bottom had been tense. Only because Chen Wei, Li Xun, and other senior ministers firmly held control, and Zhou Sui visited the major academies throughout the southern border to win one or two voices of justice amidst a chorus of condemnation, did they avoid major disaster.

Now that Southern Chen honored Wen Yu as their sovereign and dispatched troops to Liang territory to apprehend that national traitor Dou Jianliang, everyone in the Liang camp without exception had transformed from initial suppression to excitement.

But whether it was pent-up frustration or excitement, both needed to be released through a victorious battle. Otherwise, under prolonged pressure, the restless military morale would inevitably backfire on the Liang camp.

Seeing the ministers all fall silent, Wen Yu continued, “The twenty thousand fresh troops newly dispatched by Southern Chen have already reached Pingzhou. After joining with the Liang forces at the frontlines, we can launch a full counteroffensive against Pei Song from the southern border. At that time, I will also send personnel to Fengyang to rescue my sister-in-law and the imprisoned ministers, thereby diverting Pei Song’s attention.”

The ministers saw that Wen Yu had already made thorough arrangements for everything, and for a moment they looked at each other, quite uncertain how to dissuade her further.

Only Li Xun still worried about Wen Yu’s safety, anxiously saying, “If Wei Qishan creates difficulties…”

Wen Yu said, “Winter is approaching. The barbarians beyond the passes will continue their incursions on the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun not just temporarily, but continuously until spring arrives next year. That Pei Song was able to withdraw thirty thousand troops from the northern battlefield over a month ago to transport grain southward, setting a trap to ensnare Marshal Fan and the others—he must have known the barbarians’ military movements in advance. If you say he has no collusion with the barbarian tribes beyond the passes, Wei Qishan would probably be the first to disbelieve it. Only if the Liang and Chen armies in the southern border tie down Pei Song’s main forces can his Northern Wei survive the coming harsh winter. Even considering the overall situation, Wei Qishan will not choose to become enemies with our Great Liang at this time.”

Her long lashes lowered slightly. She fell silent for a moment before continuing, “Those twenty thousand Wei army soldiers were slaughtered in the mass grave at Ma Family Ridge. I also feel guilty in my heart. No matter what, I should personally go to the northern border to make this apology.”

It was because she had served as the connecting link that the Chen and Wei sides had become allies.

Yet the Wei clan entrusted their backs to them, only to have it result in the tragic deaths of twenty thousand soldiers in the southern border.

How could Wei Qishan not resent her Liang camp?

After this night discussion, the matter of going north was basically settled.

To conceal their movements, Wen Yu could not bring too many troops on this journey, and she would need to disguise herself. As for what to disguise herself as, Li Xun and the advisors deliberated back and forth, but no matter what they considered, they found it inappropriate. For a time, they couldn’t settle on a solution.

Disguising as a merchant caravan would almost certainly result in being robbed by mountain bandits along the way, adding unnecessary complications. After all, the personnel a merchant caravan could bring was limited, making them a fat sheep in the eyes of bandits along the route.

Disguising as refugees traveling with merchants would allow them to send more personnel, but the merchants’ carriages and horses would still risk being robbed by bandits along the way, and merchants having carriages and horses while constantly traveling with refugees would also arouse suspicion. Moreover, if the soldiers disguised as refugees, their weapons would be difficult to carry.

Just as the advisors were at their wits’ end, Li Xun suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He slapped his forehead and said, “We can disguise ourselves as a volunteer army going to pledge allegiance to the Wei camp! This way, we can send more personnel to ensure Your Highness’s safety, we won’t need to conceal the weapons the soldiers carry, and we can deter petty criminals along the way, avoiding unnecessary trouble!”

This suggestion immediately won unanimous approval.

“An excellent plan! After the battle at Wayaobu, it was heard that a volunteer army from Tongcheng, while being pursued by Pei Song and Dou Jianliang, fled all the way north to join Wei Qishan’s command. Later, our Great Liang had that traitor Pei spread rumors to smear us, and as the northern border’s Youzhou came under urgent attack from the barbarians, many volunteer bandits and militia from the southern border also successively rushed to the northern border to provide support. If Your Highness disguises herself as a volunteer army on this journey, it will certainly not arouse Pei Song’s suspicion!”

But Wen Yu caught some clues from those words. “When Pei Song attacked Wayaobu, Dou Jianliang also led his rebel army there. Wayaobu is two hundred li from Tongcheng. When the Tongcheng volunteer army went north, Pei Song and Dou Jianliang’s rebel forces should have been continuing their march south. Why would they turn back two hundred li to block that volunteer army?”

An aide replied, “At that time, that volunteer army was right near Wayaobu.”

Wen Yu suddenly raised her eyes. “Did that Tongcheng volunteer army specifically go to Wayaobu to assist our Liang army?”

The advisors below exchanged glances, as if finding this question somewhat difficult to answer. “This… In that brutal battle that day, the Wayaobu Liang army was completely annihilated. In the final reports that the Duke and old General Weichi sent back, there was no mention of reinforcements. As for what reason that Tongcheng volunteer army appeared near Wayaobu, and how they escaped to the northern border while being pursued by Pei Song and Dou Jianliang, we have no way of knowing.”

Upon hearing this, Wen Yu understood that the battle situation had been chaotic at the time, and after the Liang camp had suffered two consecutive defeats with powerful enemies pressing at the borders, panic gripped everyone from top to bottom, leaving them unable to spare efforts to gather intelligence by circumventing Pei’s army’s defenses.

Among the Liang camp’s forces, aside from the Pingzhou army under Chen Wei’s command—regular troops who had guarded the pass for many years and had combat experience in major battles—the rest of the soldiers were refugees newly conscripted into service over the past half year. When faced with temporary defeat, military morale could easily collapse.

In ordinary times, if scouts failed to gather intelligence properly, she would have questioned them. But under the circumstances at that time, with the commander-in-chief gravely injured and two pillar ministers dead, everyone in the Liang camp was in constant fear. Indeed, they could not be held too accountable. In the end, Wen Yu only reminded them, “In the upcoming counteroffensive against that traitor Pei, intelligence gathering on troop movements from all quarters must not be negligent.”

The advisors below knew this was an implicit reprimand and hurriedly acknowledged it repeatedly.

Wen Yu asked about matters concerning autumn harvest taxes in the three provinces and one commandery, current refugee settlement, the service conditions of various equipment camps, and the matter of drastically reduced poll taxes after conscription. She questioned until the officials answering below had to raise their sleeves to wipe the cold sweat from their temples several times. Only when the midnight hour struck did she dismiss everyone.

The ministers felt as if they had received a great pardon. Not daring to linger a moment longer, they took their leave. Only Li Xun wore a hesitant expression and was slow to rise.

Wen Yu noticed and consoled him, “Lord Li has also worked hard these past days. The hour is already late. You should return early to rest.”

Li Xun seemed to struggle for a while before finally speaking as Wen Yu was gathering her shawl to leave, “That volunteer army from Tongcheng—this subject believes it should be General Xiao’s forces.”

Wen Yu stopped in her tracks, turned to look at him, and said nothing. Her clear, refined brows and eyes held an indescribable authority in the trembling candlelight.

Li Xun knew his words were somewhat improper, but having started, the rest became easier to say. He turned and bowed with clasped hands, “After nephew Zhou escaped from Yongzhou, this subject continuously sent people to search for General Xiao, but there were no results. Later, when the Tongcheng volunteer army suddenly rose up and fought back and forth with several bandit forces in the area, this subject began to have suspicions. Unfortunately, before I could verify my guess, trouble erupted in the army. After the battle at Wayaobu, learning that the Tongcheng volunteer army happened to appear nearby during that period, this subject believes it should have been General Xiao bringing people to assist!”

After Li Xun finished speaking, he raised his head with sorrowful eyes, but could not clearly see what expression Wen Yu wore on her face, half-turned toward him in the dim candlelight. He only heard her say, “Since it hasn’t been verified, this matter still needs discussion. Don’t spread it for now.”

Li Xun watched Wen Yu’s departing figure, opening his mouth to say more, when he suddenly remembered that Xiao Li had gone to join Wei Qishan’s command. The second half of what he was about to say unconsciously stuck in his throat.

Yes, even if it truly was Xiao Li who came to their aid that day, it was an act of righteousness on his part—after being wrongly accused as a traitor by them and nearly losing his life to a poisoned arrow, he was still willing to extend a helping hand when the Liang camp faced difficulties.

But the man now had a new allegiance. Whether he would be willing to return to the Liang camp in the future was still uncertain. If they now publicly showed closeness to Xiao Li, it would make his position difficult in the Wei camp.

Li Xun had previously only thought of finding Xiao Li as quickly as possible to persuade him to return to the Liang camp, momentarily failing to consider this aspect. When he looked again in the direction Wen Yu had left, his eyes couldn’t help but fill with endless sighs.

Your Highness… had already considered all this, hadn’t she?

—

Zhao Bai followed Wen Yu back. She had been with Wen Yu in the council hall earlier, so she naturally heard Li Xun’s final words.

Wen Yu remained unusually silent the entire way, appearing completely unaffected. Yet Zhao Bai clearly remembered that on those two days—when Xiao Li left Pingzhou and when she brought back news of his death—Wen Yu had not slept the entire night.

Previously, she had held deep prejudices against Xiao Li, because when Wen Yu went south, after encountering danger only he alone remained as her escort. During those days in Pingzhou, the way he occasionally looked at Wen Yu when off guard could hardly be called proper.

As a subordinate who dared to covet the Princess, she was naturally furious and seized every opportunity to reprimand him.

Today, after hearing Li Xun’s words and recalling the circumstances when Xiao Li left Pingzhou and when she led the Azure Cloud Guard to Jinzhou to intercept him, Zhao Bai’s feelings couldn’t help but become complicated.

Despite the grudge of the poisoned arrow, he could still set aside past enmity to extend aid when the Liang camp was in trouble. Regardless of his motives, this righteousness was enough to command respect.

What a pity that fate toyed with people.

But having reached this point, whether it was Your Highness or Xiao Li himself, neither had any path of retreat left.

Zhao Bai pressed her lips together slightly, about to say something to Wen Yu, when she noticed a figure standing at the courtyard gate ahead.

The lantern under the eaves cast the person’s shadow onto the blue stone tiles covered with autumn leaves—a long diagonal streak. Fine droplets of mist condensed on the silver armor soaked with the autumn night’s cold, as if the person had been waiting there for quite some time.

Seeing Wen Yu return, Jiang Yu clasped his fists and got straight to the point, “I heard Your Highness will personally go to the northern border?”

Ever since being lectured by Empress Dowager Jiang and being assigned to accompany Wen Yu to Liang territory this time, Jiang Yu himself had become the one most zealous about avoiding suspicion. On ordinary days, unless there was urgent business, he would absolutely not seek Wen Yu’s presence.

This was the first time he had sought Wen Yu out at night.

The night wind was cold. Wen Yu wore a dark blue feathered cloak over her shoulders. Her brows and eyes, like dark mountains and autumn waters, seemed a few degrees colder in the moonlight. “Twenty thousand Wei army soldiers were slaughtered at Ma Family Ridge. I must give Wei Qishan an explanation.”

The culprit behind this tragedy was Southern Chen’s rebel general Dou Jianliang. If Southern Chen wanted to prevent her from going north, they were the ones with the least standing to do so.

But Jiang Yu didn’t seem to have come to dissuade Wen Yu. Hearing her say she wanted to give Wei Qishan an explanation for those twenty thousand soldiers’ tragic deaths, a flash of embarrassment and other complex emotions crossed his handsome face. He lowered his eyes and said, “Going north at this time is dangerous. If Your Highness insists on going personally, this subordinate must accompany you to ensure Your Highness’s safety.”

Zhao Bai knew of the Empress Dowager’s and the Jiang family’s plans. Her expression turned cold, and her knife-like gaze raked harshly across Jiang Yu.

Unmoved by her hostility, Jiang Yu only waited for Wen Yu’s reply.

“The counteroffensive against Pei Song in the southern border is imminent. Commander Jiang won’t remain with the army to oversee matters?” Wen Yu asked.

Jiang Yu still avoided meeting her eyes directly. “This subordinate’s journey—the primary mission is to safeguard Your Highness’s safety. The authority to deploy Southern Chen’s twenty thousand troops can temporarily be fully transferred to Great Liang.”

This answer was indeed somewhat beyond Wen Yu’s expectations.

So Empress Dowager Jiang had him temporarily hand military authority to others, just to keep close watch on her movements?

She was truly prepared at all times to use her to command the ministers of Liang territory.

Wen Yu gave a mocking twitch of her lips, gathered her cloak, and walked through the courtyard gate, leaving behind only one sentence: “Commander Jiang may do as he pleases.”

But as she entered, Jiang Yu asked another question: “Is the one Great Liang is dispatching to escort Your Highness north that General Xiao?”

Dou Jianliang didn’t know of anyone named Xiao Li, but Jiang Yu, when he first came to Pingzhou for the marriage alliance, had already crossed paths with him. That tactical exercise on the sand table had left a truly deep impression on him.

But later this person suddenly vanished without a trace. Before Wen Yu departed for Southern Chen, Jiang Yu had already sensed something amiss. Unfortunately, his several attempts at probing were all deflected by Wen Yu.

On this return to Liang territory, there was even less news of this person anywhere in the Liang camp. It was truly strange.

Wen Yu stood with her back turned. The dim yellow light from the lantern under the eaves fell on her slender lashes like fine down. The gaze that overflowed from beneath those long lashes was cold yet clear. She answered, “No.”

—

Youzhou.

The ashen sky let down scattered fine snow that, before it could melt upon reaching the ground, was trampled into mud by military boots.

Black smoke still rose from both the nearby city tower and the distant enemy camp, though the enemy camp’s smoke was thicker. The barbarian army that had attacked the city all night was now slowly withdrawing like a tide.

The Wei general defending the city braced both hands on the battlement, watching the retreating barbarian army with high spirits as he cursed, “Turtle grandsons! Leaving already? Come back and continue attacking your Grandpa Liao’s city!”

A barbarian general seemed to turn his horse around on horseback to look hatefully toward the city tower, then finally jerked the reins sharply and continued the retreat. The Wei general on the tower laughed even more heartily.

“Burning the barbarians’ grain supplies in their camp—this strategy of removing fuel from under the pot is truly brilliant!” Advisors observing the battle from the tower couldn’t help but praise aloud.

The Wei general Liao Jiang turned to Yuan Fang, who still looked unwell from illness and wore only light armor to observe from the tower, “Old Yuan, where did you invite this mortal guardian deity from to assist us?”

Yuan Fang shook his head with a laugh, “To speak truthfully, I’m ashamed. Dragging this injured body, I should have perished at Ma Family Ridge together with those twenty thousand soldiers. Fortunately, I was rescued by my benefactor and was able to return alive to see you all.”

The northern border’s military situation was urgent. The barbarians had this month launched successive fierce attacks on several locations in the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. Only when Yuan Fang brought Xiao Li’s group to Youzhou did he learn that this place could barely hold out, and that Wei Qishan had already sustained grave injuries in the previous battle and withdrawn to Weizhou.

Northern Wei’s Young Lord, Wei Qishan’s son Wei Pingjin, had defended here for several days and been beaten black and blue by the barbarians. He clamored that continuing to defend stubbornly was not a solution, and that the army should also quickly evacuate Youzhou.

Liao Jiang, a key general under Wei Qishan’s command, had a straightforward temperament and insisted on defending to the death. He declared that even if the barbarians took Youzhou, it would be by trampling over his corpse.

With him setting an example at the front lines, Wei Pingjin naturally couldn’t continue proposing evacuation. But he used recovering from injuries as an excuse and for these past two days had remained at the rear camp without showing his face. Any discerning person could see that these lord and vassal were at odds.

But the barbarians’ offensive had grown increasingly fierce since yesterday. Wei Pingjin could bear it no longer and finally withdrew first with his own forces.

Liao Jiang had already prepared to defend the city to the death. But the volunteer army leader who came with Yuan Fang proposed that while the barbarians attacked the city, he would lead troops to circle around to the rear of the enemy camp and burn their grain supplies.

No one had held out hope, after all, the barbarians’ granary location was heavily guarded. Without bringing several thousand troops, they couldn’t possibly break in. But if they sent several thousand troops forward, they couldn’t possibly escape the barbarians’ scouts’ eyes.

Therefore, when that volunteer army leader left the city with only a few dozen riders, Liao Jiang assumed the man was overestimating his abilities.

Yet now, under the ashen snowy sky, thick black smoke billowed from the enemy camp, indicating they had successfully destroyed the granary.

After their initial wild joy, everyone on the tower fell silent in unison, all gazing toward the distant path through the rain and snow.

Suddenly, several dozen riders burst out from the end of the official road at the mountain hollow, appearing from afar to be wearing barbarian army clothing but not wearing helmets.

After these dozen riders charged out, several hundred barbarian cavalry then pursued from the mountain hollow, shooting arrows at the riders ahead while shouting something from horseback.

Everyone on the tower erupted in wild joy again. Liao Jiang bellowed, “Open the city gates! Send our Wolf Riders to provide support!”

As the Northern Wei Wolf Riders surged out from within Youzhou city, the opposing cavalry seemed wary and dared not charge further into the Northern Wei Wolf Riders’ arrow range, pulling their reins one after another to halt their warhorses.

Xiao Li, leading Song Qin, Zheng Hu, and all his brothers, thus charged straight into Youzhou city under the Wolf Riders’ cover.

In an instant, the Wei army soldiers above and below the city tower raised their voices to the heavens.